Cutting edge exhibition

A NEW display charting the history of knives opened at Saffron Walden Museum on Saturday. Blades: A Cutting Edge Exhibition showcases tools and weapons of many types from down the ages and across cultures. Maureen Evans, a museum spokesman, said: From pr

A NEW display charting the history of knives opened at Saffron Walden Museum on Saturday.

Blades: A Cutting Edge Exhibition showcases tools and weapons of many types from down the ages and across cultures.

Maureen Evans, a museum spokesman, said: "From prehistoric flint to modern stainless steel, from axes and butter-seller's knives to African throwing knives and Japanese swords, have been essential tools and weapons in every area of daily life since the Stone Age.

"The exhibition allows many of the museum's fine collection of swords to come out on display, a reminder of the potentially destructive power of blades as well as of the skill of smiths.

Blades runs at the museum until June 3 and Ms Evans said there are many intriguing questions answered in the exhibition.

"Come and find out which was the first metal used for bladed tools, and why the Malaysian reaping knife is so small," she added.

The museum is open between 10am and 4.30pm from Mondays to Saturdays and between 2pm and 4.30pm on Sundays. Call the museum on 01799 510333 for details.